Gold Leaf Sign Writing for Shop Fronts and Windows

Gold leaf sign writing is lettering laid by hand in real gold leaf, either gilded on the inside of a window or glass door so it reads through the glass, or oil gilded onto a painted fascia, hanging sign or board. It is the traditional way British shops and pubs announced themselves, and it is still one of the most striking ways to put a name above a door. In high carat gold it does not tarnish, and glass lettering protected behind the window can last for decades.

Here we look at the history of the sign writer's trade in Britain, the difference between gilding on glass and on boards, matt and burnished centres, outlines and shades, how gold leaf stands up outdoors, and how to plan lettering for a shop, café, bar or office.

A short history of the sign writer's trade

Long before most people could read, traders hung pictures outside to say what they sold, from a golden boot for a shoemaker to a peacock for a laceman. As streets filled, these hanging signs became a hazard, and in London an Act of Parliament of 1762 called for them to be taken down on the grounds that they were dangerous.

Words took their place. Heritage Crafts explains that painted lettering on signs became common in eighteenth century England as more people learned to read. Through the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the narrow fascia above the shop window slowly became the home for a trader's name.

The Victorian period was the trade's high point. Heritage Crafts describes signwriters as being in high demand when every shop fascia was painted by hand. At the top end of the high street, gilded letters carved with a V cut and protected behind glass marked out a high class retailer.

The craft declined sharply with the arrival of computer cut plastic signs in the 1980s. It never disappeared, though. Heritage Crafts counts about 300 signwriters working across the country today and describes the market for hand painted signs as strong, with gilding listed as an allied craft. Faded traces of old painted lettering, which Historic England calls ghost signs, still survive on buildings all over the country.

Gold leaf on glass and gold leaf on boards

Gilding on glass

Window lettering is gilded on the inside face of the glass and read from the street, so the whole design is worked in reverse. The glass is cleaned scrupulously, a size made from gelatine dissolved in water is flooded on, and the leaf is laid onto the wet glass, where the size draws it flat. Once dry, it is gently buffed with cotton wool, and supplier guidance recommends double gilding, a second layer of size and gold, for the best result. The letters are then backed up with paint and the surplus gold cleaned away. This reverse gilding is the same family of technique as verre églomisé, and it gives the most brilliant, mirror like gold of any sign.

Gilding on boards

Fascias, hanging signs, door panels and wall plaques are gilded on the face, almost always by oil gilding onto a smooth, sealed and painted ground. Oil size is the usual choice for signs that live outdoors, and supplier guidance is clear that water based size is not suitable for exterior gilding. The gold sits in front of the board rather than behind glass, with a warm, soft lustre that suits carved letters as well as flat ones. Our guide to water gilding vs oil gilding explains the two methods in full.

Matt and burnished centres

Some of the finest glass signs play two finishes of gold against each other. A Royal College of Art study of gilding describes the difference simply. Burnished gold is shiny and reflective, so it mirrors its surroundings and can look dark, while matt gold scatters the light and looks light. Oil gilding usually gives the matt finish.

On glass, the bright, water gilded gold and a softer matt gold can be combined in a single letter, for example a mirror bright outline around a matt centre, or a burnished border around a satin face. As you walk past, the two catch the light at different moments.

Outlines and shades

Gold rarely works alone on a sign. An outline is a fine painted line around each letter, often in black, which sharpens the edge and helps the gold read against a busy window or a pale wall. On glass signs, black outlines are often painted first, before any gold goes on.

A shade is a painted shadow on one side of each letter that makes it appear to stand off the surface. Sign painters have their conventions here. John Downer, writing about the craft, notes that sign painters shade their letters to the lower left by default. Together, outlines and shades give gold lettering its classic depth.

How gold leaf signs stand up outdoors

The metal matters most. High carat gold does not tarnish, and the Italian gold beaters Manetti describe their 23.5 carat transfer leaf as carrying no risk of tarnishing and suitable for exterior use. Imitation leaf, silver and copper all tarnish, so they are poor choices for a sign that faces the weather.

• On glass. Gold on the inside of a window is shielded from rain and from daily cleaning by the glass itself. A UK gilding supplier's guide to gold leaf windows notes that properly applied gilding can last decades.
• On boards. A gilded fascia takes the full force of sun, rain and frost. Building conservation guidance accepts that exterior gilding eventually needs renewing, and the paintwork of the board needs looking after too.
• Cleaning. Clean the outside of a gilded window as normal glass. Keep scrapers, abrasive pads and strong solvents well away from the inside face, and make sure your window cleaner knows where the lettering is.

Planning lettering for a shop, café, bar or office

Good sign writing starts with a few practical questions.

• Where will it be read from? A fascia read from across the street needs larger, simpler letters than a name on a door read at arm's length.
• Which surface? Choose between the fascia, the window, a glass door, a hanging sign, or inside on a mirror, a reception wall or a bar back.
• What is behind the gold? Gold reads best against a dark or strong ground. On glass, the interior seen through the window becomes the background, so outlines and shades matter more.
• How much wording? The fewer the words, the more each letter can carry.
• Your lettering or logo. Bring the typeface or artwork you use, and we can talk through how it will translate into gold leaf.
• Permissions. If the building is listed or in a conservation area, check with your local planning authority before changing a shop front sign.

Zavoré lays gold leaf lettering and signs on boards and on glass, as part of our gilding work across the UK, including London, Birmingham and Manchester.

Questions we get asked

Is gold leaf lettering real gold?

Traditional gold leaf signs are gilded in genuine high carat gold, often 23 carat or above, which is why they keep their colour for so long. Imitation leaf is cheaper but tarnishes.

Why is window lettering put on the inside of the glass?

Working on the inside face means the glass protects the gold from weather and cleaning, while the letters still read clearly from the street.

Can gold leaf be used on an outdoor fascia?

Yes. Oil gilding with high carat gold on a properly prepared board is the traditional method for fascias and hanging signs, though exterior gilding will eventually need renewing.

Is gold leaf glass gilding the same as verre églomisé?

They share the same technique of gilding the back of the glass. Verre églomisé usually refers to decorative panels, while glass gilding for signs is about lettering.

Where to go next. See our gilding service, read about verre églomisé and gilding on glass, or compare gold, silver and copper leaf. To talk about lettering for your shop, café, bar or office, get in touch, email support@zavore.co.uk or call or WhatsApp 07592 929191.